Wright, whose mother was from Greece and his father from Palermo, Italy, has owned restaurants in Louisiana, including a place in New Orleans that he sold right before Katrina. He is widely known as Sonny the Greek, as he was dubbed by the hosts of the popular Walton & Johnson Radio Show.

Sonny learned about Cypress Cafe from friends who ate there and when the opportunity to lease came up, he took it. He plans to be in the kitchen daily when he opens the revamped Sonny’s Cypress Cafe soon after Labor Day.

“I like to cook for people,” he said. “It’s very important. You have got to love it.”

The new menu will feature both Italian and Greek cuisines and customs. “Half and half,” he said. Think minestrone and moussaka, spinach pie and veggie frittata.

The kitchen will be updated, the paint will be refreshed up with new colors and red umbrellas will shade the outdoor tables. A coffee bar will serve freshly ground coffees, hot and iced. The two new ovens will keep the pastries and other treats coming to customers. “Everything will be brand new,” he said, including the chairs.

Meanwhile, Cypress Cafe is serving its original menu Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.